Saturday, August 30, 2014

1)As I read through this chapter it was very
interesting to learn how many young children under the age of 5 use electronic
toys and computers for learning.It is
fascinating to see a young child pick up a cell phone and be able to figure it
all out. They just seem to have the
knack for understanding how technology works. I have a smart phone that is
almost a year old, I am still trying to learn how to use all the features the
phone has to offer. But sometimes I feel children rely too
heavily on video games, TV, computer and cell phones for their
entertainment.They don’t know how to
entertain themselves and often get “bored” if these electronic devices are
taken away.Children should be
encouraged to pick up a book to read or participate in some form of physical
activity for their well-being. This
class is all about technology, but I feel strongly about how much time children
spend indoors on their electronic devices, which can lead to childhood obesity
and/or video game addictions.There needs
to be a balance!I saw a story just this
week on the NBC nightly news that offers tech savvy kids an opportunity to
build things with their own hands.Program Encourages Kids to Build, Play the Old-Fashioned Way

2)But, because children are fascinated with
technology it can be an effective tool in the classroom when combined with the content
the teacher needs to convey to his or her students.This can help make learning fun which will keep
children interested in learning.There
are many “Inside-the-classroom instructional tools” that are listed on page 7
of our textbook. Many educational websites offer videos
or games which could be used to accompany a lesson.For example, the website ScienceKids
has some interesting videos that could be used to reemphasize a science lesson.This same website offers games and other
activities that a teacher could use in the classroom as well.Another tool I found interesting, a student
participation system.I would have to say this tool is
definitely one to be used in a 21st century classroom.This tool allows all students in the
classroom the opportunity to participate together, by using their clickers to
answer questions the teacher poses.It
allows the teacher to immediately see whether the students understands the
material or whether to go over the lesson again.Often times there are children who did not
quite understand a concept but was too shy or embarrassed to ask a question so
they fall behind and can get frustrated.According to the FCC.gov website, “technology-based instruction can
reduce the time students take to reach a learning objective by 30 to 80 percent.”

3)The textbook it explains “family
income dramatically affects technology use” (Maloy, Verock-O'Loughli, Edwards & Woolf, 2013, p.5) So this is a concern for those
students who come from low-income families whose parents cannot afford to own a
computer or be connected to the internet.To keep up with assignments and maintain good grades, accessing classroom
websites and homework assignments online is very important.Teachers also need to maintain communication
with the parents so the parent can be sure their child is doing well in
school.While doing some research on
this topic, I stumbled upon a program on the FCC.gov website called Connect to Compete, which provides low
cost broadband of $9.95 per month and refurbished devices that cost $150 plus
free training to students who are eligible for free and reduced lunches.It will be important to be sure these
students and parents are made aware of these opportunities so their children
can be successful.

In conclusion, there is a broad range of technology
based tools teachers can bring to the classroom.Because
I did not have the luxury of growing up with technology, I
sometimes feel overwhelmed.It is going
to be important for me to keep up with all the latest and greatest tools that
may be available to teachers and students.Learning is a never ending process, there is always something new, no
matter how old you are.As the students
are learning from me I will also be learning from them how to be a better
teacher.But I am confident that once I
complete this course I will have the knowledge that is needed to know how to be
a 21st century teacher and incorporate technology in the
classroom.